Just got a 2013 AeroPro Drive

well i went ahead and bit the bullet and bought the new aeropro drive strung with a full bed of RPM blast 17g at 56 lbs.....pretty excited to play with it...anyone else have a similar set up in this racquet? would like to hear what any of you have to say...thanks

A stiff string that won't have any tension left by the time it gets to you... In an even stiffer stick... Good luck..... Did you demo the racket?

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haha, yeah i demo'd, maybe im more lenient than some people i just dont mind the stiffness of all the babolat racquets, i get a good feel from them, to each their own i guess....i think i just like a solid feel in my racquet with enough power to where i dont tear something going into a backhand. i have the RPM blast on my pure drive and it seems almost effortless to get the ball over the net

haha, yeah i demo'd, maybe im more lenient than some people i just dont mind the stiffness of all the babolat racquets, i get a good feel from them, to each their own i guess....i think i just like a solid feel in my racquet with enough power to where i dont tear something going into a backhand. i have the RPM blast on my pure drive and it seems almost effortless to get the ball over the net

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I can handle the stiffness, but it isn't my cup of tea. I'm a touchy/feely racket person. Tearing something going into the backhand... lol never heard of that.

I can handle the stiffness, but it isn't my cup of tea. I'm a touchy/feely racket person. Tearing something going into the backhand... lol never heard of that.

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might be exaggerating a bit on that one lol...when it comes down to it if i am spending some money on it, i will find any reason to like it. on a sidenote i like the way the babolat raquets look...thanks for the feedback

when i put the RPM blast in my pure drive and took my first swing, i was unsure if it was even going to be playable, but i think after an hour or two it kinda of broke in the string and made it a little more playable

when i put the RPM blast in my pure drive and took my first swing, i was unsure if it was even going to be playable, but i think after an hour or two it kinda of broke in the string and made it a little more playable

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i love the power and spin but i never get used with the feel and sound! so in your opinion the new APD is more........stiff, solid, etc?

i love the power and spin but i never get used with the feel and sound! so in your opinion the new APD is more........stiff, solid, etc?

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I think it actually feels a little less solid than the old one, but not too much to where it loses too much power...it feels more maneuverable and you can really whip the frame around to create some spin...overall it is cool to get a new racquet with slightly different spec, but in the end i think everything kind of evens out and its a great frame that isnt too different from the old one...i think the biggest difference would be it just feels a little lighter

when i put the RPM blast in my pure drive and took my first swing, i was unsure if it was even going to be playable, but i think after an hour or two it kinda of broke in the string and made it a little more playable

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So in other words you like dead poly? Because after 2 hours RPM Blast is dead.

I think it actually feels a little less solid than the old one, but not too much to where it loses too much power...it feels more maneuverable and you can really whip the frame around to create some spin...overall it is cool to get a new racquet with slightly different spec, but in the end i think everything kind of evens out and its a great frame that isnt too different from the old one...i think the biggest difference would be it just feels a little lighter

Strange, I have all of the generations now, and I find the 2013 swings faster, nothing too noticeable, but it's still faster. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

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Exactly, it's all personal preference. A lot of that might have to do with quality control which could make the minute differences in how they swing. If there is a difference, to me, it is so negligible that it doesn't bother me.

I have the new APD with a hybrid of RPM Blast 16 at 53# and Head FXP 16 @ 55#. This set-up makes it very comfortable for me but a bit too powerful. I will be looking for a soft poly as a full-bed on my next restring. No arm pains yet and I came from a IG Radical Pro which is very flexible.

like my original post says i am getting mine with rpm blast 17g at 56 pounds, i usually go 58 to 60 in my bab's but this is a pretty stiff racquet so lowered the tension a bit, it is being shipped today and im gonna hit with it tonight so after that i will let you all know how it went, are yall using vibration dampeners on yours?

I just got a new 2013 APD as well and I have to say, I love this racquet. I have it strung with Tourna BHB7 17 @ 54 lbs. I'm using one Tourna Tac overgrip and a dampener. Otherwise, I have not added lead.

Previously I was using Prestiges and Radicals. The racquet is very comfortable and very light. I enjoy not being "tired out" by the end of the match after swinging heavy players frames. It's very head light so its easy to maneuver. The big head size (Prestige/Radicals are 95si) means I shank far less often. The sweetspot is huge. I don't remember ever missing it.

I've played two matches with it already and have another interesting observation. Compared to my other low-powered, soft frames, I get WAY more zip with this frame. It's not so much a power issue. I have no issues hitting deep with a Prestige. It's just the relative velocity of the ball is faster with the APD.

For instance, last night I was playing a match with some 4.5 women (I'm a 3.0). They're pretty darn good, too. But this was the first time -- really in my life -- that I hit more than one winner and more than one ace. I'm not known for my serves, they are very weak. 3.5 men regularly destroyed my serves with Radicals. But with the APD, I served at least 3 aces in one 3 set match. That's 3x more than I usually hit, which is usually 0.

And, I hit probably 10 or so forehand winners. With my prestige and radical, I usually hit 1 winner per match. I could never finish off a point due to my "superior" play. I'd either outlast the person, or I hit into the net. No two-ways about it. But now I'm actually hitting winners. It's a good feeling, and very new to me.

Its comfortable, no arm pains even with poly. but that's because I string fairly low (1 lb below their lowest rec. tension).

Hey everyone, as an update, my hitting partner has been unavailable the last week so i am sitting here waiting to use this beast, it is excrutiating not being to play with it immediately....i will say one thing i have noticed from holding it in my hand is the grip feels thicker than it should....by that i mean i ordered a 4 3/8", which it is indicated to be on the side of the racquet, but it just feels thicker than that.....more like 4 1/2" if you order one, go a size down, just my suggestion

Hey everyone, as an update, my hitting partner has been unavailable the last week so i am sitting here waiting to use this beast, it is excrutiating not being to play with it immediately....i will say one thing i have noticed from holding it in my hand is the grip feels thicker than it should....by that i mean i ordered a 4 3/8", which it is indicated to be on the side of the racquet, but it just feels thicker than that.....more like 4 1/2" if you order one, go a size down, just my suggestion